Outlet-box.



' PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

F. W'. BRIOKSON. OUTLETBOX.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1907 UNETED @TA'iiE vi I T wrsr mr $peeifieaitierr of Letters ?a-tent.

Patented Apri 2. i907.

Application flied January 29, 1907. Serial No 354,607.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, iiREDER LQ yYM. ERICK- sox, residing at New York, in tile eounty of New York and State of New York, have in vented certain improvements in Outlet- Boxes, of which the following is. a speeiiicw Lion. I

The present invention rel'zites to outlethoxes for interior conduits, and has special reference to means or adjusting the outer face of such boxes after they are in position in a- Wall or partition with the surface of the plastering.

As is well understood, theo'utlet-boxes and the coniieeting-condnits are secured in place lxel'ore the latliing end plastering are laid on,

,and while allowance is made "for the usual thickness of plaster it irei uently happens that it is spread in the vieinityof the outlethox very nneveniv, sometimes twiee the necessary thickness, thus leaving the outer face of the 10X quite a (lists-nee comparatively from the surface of the plaster. Even under the host eonditions when the finished plate is put on the ho it is found to stand out from the time of the plaster and look unsightly and form a 'eceptncle tor dust, or it may be, after the pl to is screwed in place, there Will be a space lzetween its rear side and. the front oi the her, into which, plaster carried in eircurrents; and it is to (were-ours these dilh- ('UltlGS that the invention is devised.

Reference is made to the accompanying Winnings, which illustrate the invention, in Al l iel 1 i igure l is u scetionslview ol my improved spacing derive attached to an outlet-ho); in position in a wall. Fig. l is a perspective view oi the mode of assembling the parts of the/invention. Fig. 3 is a side view of the special device employed, and Fig. is at side view of a modilicetion in place in a wall, and Fig. 5 is s sectional view of another modifies,- tion.

in Fig. LA represents the arrangement :1 whole in u wall, in which 'isthe outlet-- ho'x, having holes p in its walls for the entrance ol' conduits, and (l is the lid or cover ior'the hon, with an opening at its top oi less area than that of the hox, all in the usual and common manner of outletboxes. Such :1, box is put in position before the lztthing or piestering is put on, and various means ere devised to arrange that when the outer cover E is out onto the box it shall bear evenly on the top thereof and also upon the facel of the plasterer wall finish; but in all liowever careful the workmen may he,tliere is always some discrepancy, as hereinhefore stated, between the box and the plate.

The spacing device I), constituting an article of manufacture devised. by nie, is made from u ribbon of inetsl of smeii erosssection, preferably having some resiliency, conformed in plan to the shape of outletooxes, one design, bent into the rectangular form shown in Fig. 2, with outward projec tions 5 db each end having recn tering' loops 6 on the opposite sides of the pro-,eetions, and

layers 4, parallel with. each. other and in the same plane tor the most port of their length; hut at a -oinnion place 7 each layer rises up onto the next higher plane, so that the opposit-e ends of the ribhon meet at the coininon place '7 and terminate or taper to an edge smooth with the upper and lower suruees oi the outside le 'ers.

sitter 22, Wall is 'l'inis shed about an inelosed box and it is desireu to pluoe the outer or finish. plate i l in position measurement is nuule from the {ace of the box-outlet G to the outer face of: the well F, and a device D of thickness denoted hy said inmisureinent is placed upon the pnrtC and the lid l plneed 'over the device. Then the screws 2 22110 passed through the holes in the lid of the proper size sud distance sport as prezu'rsngcd, through the loops (5 (i of the device into the holes 8 8 in the rim of the part (l, and firmly screwed home. it. will he soon that the sei'cws and the ioops hold the device laterally, 2L5 well as secure it to the hos and lid.

As an article of nun u'l'neture the device i) may he made with it di'll'eriz rumbebof layers t or of any number (oterniined by in proclviee. l v hove found three or tour--szty tln'eelztyers to he it convenient number, and then if the lilLii-SUYGd distanceis less than that of said number one layer is easily cut ell at the point 'o'v a. pair of ordinary pliers, as the ribbon isn'iude quite thin, those in the drawings hell); somewhat exaggerated in thickness for the satire of clezirness. in practice it is found that a. worlunzin finds l himself in possession of several of these devices otter it time-in which one or more l levers have heen removeiond so is cnnhled l to i it on y spruce readily.

i prefer to limits the layers slightly sepstlie device eonsists of a. plurality of helices or experia-xnoe us nearest the ordinary sparse from the hex to the 'welldnce found to existv rated from each other, not appreciably, but yet a slight space between each, and as the metal constitutinp the same is preferably resilient a very tight oint can be made when the plate E is put in position, as the screws will bring the plate and the layers close to each other, and the resiliency of the layers resisting the close pressure brings an added strain upon the screw-heads and prevents them from a tendency to retreatand loosen.

By the formation of the layers with-the loops 6 I provide a socket for the screw-body without boring holes through the layers, and thus provid an inexpensive and very convenient construction.

In the modification shownin Fig. 4, while each layer 4 has the same configuration in plan as in the previous figures, each layer is entirely separate from the 01 her, and one can be readily added to another or taken therefrom.

Fig. 5 represents a sectional view through the projections 5 and loops 6 of a modification made'from wire coiled as a collar or spacer in the plan represented in the other figures, and when thus coiled it may be dipped in solder or other soft molten metal and galvanized, as such a process is termed. The metal in cooling forms a thin film over the coils and joins one to another. Any layer may be detached by cutting it away at the point 7 by cuttingpliers.

I claim as my invention 1. The-combination with an outlet box and its cover or lid of a spacing device interposed between the box and cover consisting of two or more layers of metal of small crosssection having projections on opposite sides and internal loops, with screws joining the cover to the box whose bodies extend through said loops.

2. v The combination with an outlet-box and-its cover or lid, of a spacing device interposed between the box and coverconsisting of two or more layers in one piece of thin metal ribbon having projections on opposite sides and internal loops, with screws joining the cover to the box whose bodies extend through said loo )8.

3. The combination with an outlet-box and its cover or lid, of a s nicing device interposed between the box and the cover consistseam in g oft-W0 or more layers in one piece occupying different planes of thin resilient metal ribbon rectangular in plan having projections on opposite sides and internal loops, with screws joining the cover to the box whose bodies ext-end throu h said loops.

4. As an article of manufacture, a spacing device composed of thin ribbon metal in one piece occupying different planes having pro-- jections on opposite sides with loops in the rear of said projections.

5. As an article of manufacture, a spacing device composed of a strip or ribbon of thin resilient metal built up in two or more planes rectangular in plan havinq projections on 0pposite sides and loops in the rear of said projections, each plane being slightly separated from the other.

6. As an article of manufacture for outletboxes a collar or spacing device composed of metal of small cross-section in one piece occu pying different planes conformed in plan to the opening of an outlet-box.

7:. As an article of manufacture for outletboxes a co lar or spacing device composedof metal of small crosssection in one piece occupyinp dill'erent planes conformed in plan to the opening of an outlet-box the coils-made homogeneous by being dipped in molten soft metal. l v

8. As an article o manufacture for outletboxes a collar or spacing device composed of metal of small cross-section in one piece occupying different planes conformed in plan to the opening of an :-utlet-bcx the configuration of the same adapted to assist in steadying the same laterally when upon said box.

9. The combination with an outlet-box an extension or spacing device'consisting of laminations of suitable material substantially of the shape of the box-opening, with means for adapting the thickness of the laminations to coincide with the face of the wall, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed. my name to this specification, in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of January, 1907.

FREDERIC WM. EBICKSON.

\ Vitnesses:

J. M. WA'rrERs, HARRIET LL-vi. 

